The Wedding-Dress Workout: Get Sleeveless-Ready in 15 Minutes a Day

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Get Sleeveless-Ready in 15 Minutes a Day

Whether you’re going strapless or backless, chances are your wedding dress will put your upper body on display. Build your body confidence with a workout that targets a bride’s most exposed areas: the arms, shoulders, and back. Don’t have time to squeeze in an exercise routine between venue walk-throughs, dress fittings, and florist appointments? The following at-home takes just 15 minutes a day—no gym membership required. Get ready to bare your arms with this sculpting routine.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: What You’ll Need

A set of light dumbbells (two to eight pounds): “You can even use water bottles in place of weights,” says trainer Sue Fleming, founder of Buff Brides, in New York City.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Your Routine

“It takes about six weeks to see results from strength-training moves,” says Christi Masi, a personal trainer and founder of The Healthy Bride, a fitness company in Seattle. Unless otherwise directed, do one to three sets for each move on the following slides, depending on your fitness level. As you get stronger, add more reps and another set. Do your chosen workout four times a week for the best results.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Shoulders

Side plank

Start in a straight-arm side plank, your body forming a line from head to feet. With a weight in your free hand, lift your arm to the ceiling, then lower it to your side. Switch sides and repeat.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Shoulders

Lateral raise

Start in a standing position, a weight in each hand, palms facing legs. Raise your arms directly out to the sides, then lower them.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Shoulders

Front raise

Start in a standing position, a weight in each hand, palms facing backward. Raise your arms directly in front of you until they are parallel to the floor, then lower them.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Back

Superman

Lie facedown on the floor, arms extended in front of you. Lift your arms, chest, and legs up two inches. Hold for two seconds, then release.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Back

T-raise

Lie facedown on the floor, your arms out to the sides. Lift your arms, chest, and legs up two inches. Hold for two seconds, then release.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Back

One-arm row

From a standing position, rest one hand and one knee on a bench or ottoman while holding a weight in the opposite hand. Keeping your back straight, pull the weight alongside your chest. Release. Switch sides and repeat.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Arms

Biceps Curl

Stand with a weight in each hand, arms at sides, palms facing forward. Bending your elbows, raise the weights to your shoulders, then lower them.

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Arms

Triceps Dip

Sit on a sturdy chair. Supporting yourself with your hands on the seat, slide your feet and hips forward until your butt is off the chair. Bend your elbows, and lower your butt toward the floor. Straighten your arms.

Photo: Getty Images

The Wedding-Dress Workout: Arms

Triceps Extension

Stand with a weight in each hand, arms at sides. Bend and lift your elbows behind you. Keeping the elbows back, extend your arms behind you until they’re straight, then lower them again.

Got time to burn? Add a cardio routine for more dramatic results.

Cardio helps you burn calories and shed pounds, magnifying the results of all those sculpting moves. Follow the “15 Minutes a Day” toning routine, then add 30 minutes of one of the following: